


To Warp Reality

by d_aia



Series: Similar, but Not the Same [4]
Category: Now You See Me (Movies)
Genre: M/M, Magical Realism, POV Lula, POV Lula May, POV Outsider, Pre-Relationship, Stand Alone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-29
Updated: 2016-06-29
Packaged: 2018-07-19 01:44:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7339474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/d_aia/pseuds/d_aia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lula meets Jack's crush.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Warp Reality

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own the movie (and characters, locations, personal histories etc as are shown in it).This is the work of fanfiction.
> 
> Warning: There's an explosion, and it is implied that there are victims (though what state they are in is not specified), but the major characters are not hurt.
> 
> A/N: It's a stand alone, there's no connection with other stories in the series. And I don't know Lula's surname, but the tag says Lula May.

Lula wasn’t sure what had happened. There was a ‘bang,’ then a loud metallic noise, and then the ‘boom’ of an explosion. She could guess that something went wrong with one of the machines in the theater, she didn’t know which or how, since they had already left the room, and she didn’t care at the moment. Her priority right then was to run. Atlas was first, then her and Jack, and the last one was Merritt. Atlas kept looking back.

She heard Atlas say something like 'we’re not going to make it,’ which made her run faster, until she felt herself getting lifted and pushed forward. She heard the windows break. Atlas stepped clumsily aside, and hurried back. Jack stopped too, although Lula was pulling at his arm, but finally moved when Atlas pushed Jack in the direction they were running. That was enough for Lula, who put some pep in her step, and pushed Jack in front of her.

“Daniel, you're a magician, not a wizard,” Merritt shouted. “Shit!”

Jack looked back, and froze, eyed widened. Without wanting to, Lula turned too, and saw the wave of fire that was coming their way. A couple of steps before her was Merritt, and just in front of him was Atlas, whose arm was extended. Atl—Daniel said something that resonated, she could literally feel the vibrations in her bones, a word with a lot of ‘sh’-sounds, and the fire stopped. Not extinguished, but they were suddenly behind a transparent wall. There was no heat on their side of the wall, just light. Very bright, sort of beautiful, light. And in it, Daniel's shadow. Arm still extended, as if…

No way.

Lula started looking around, wanting to see how he did it. Not that she wasn’t thankful... no wait, she wasn’t, because if she got scared out of ten years of her life for no other reason than Daniel's new trick, he was going back to Atlas in a hurry and there would be pain. Just as she was giving herself a talk to wake her up and see how Daniel was managing it, he faltered. And with him, the transparent wall shimmered, and all of a sudden she felt the heat that was hounding them only a few moments ago. She could see from the corner of her eye that Jack even flinched. Daniel straightened, and Merritt took a step forward toward him.

“Easy, Daniel,” Merritt coaxed.

How was Daniel doing it? It had to be a trick. Right? Otherwise that would mean that… No, then she'd start thinking that fairytales are real, as are vampires who glitter in the moonlight. It was a trick, an act, an illusion.

Abruptly—as in one moment it’s there, but the next it’s simply gone—the fire stopped coming. There was silence. Lula could see through the wall, with what light filtered through the broken windows, the blackened room beyond. Everything was destroyed, or melted. Here and there, there were pockets of fire burning merrily. It was a disaster.

It also had the potential of being the greatest trick she had ever seen. But it felt wrong. And this was from the woman who tried to get a hat out of the rabbit. It had been eight years ago, and she thought she had grown since then, enough that the thought of it being an act was making her feel icky.

“You should leave,” Daniel said at his usual speed. “You should take the others with you and go. I'll follow.”

“We should leave together,” Merritt said calmly.

“The air would be too hot, I didn’t save you so you can get burned when you breathe in.”

Save them?

Jack was looking around for something. Lula watched him to see what had grabbed his attention while the mystery of the century unfolded in front of them, and saw that he kept getting out colorful handkerchiefs out of his jacket. In his left hand was a bottle of water, _her_ bottle of water, that used to be in _her purse,_ but what can she do? She's surrounded by the most famous magicians of her time. Though they usually have better things to steal than her water.

Water, Jack was going to use the water and a cloth to make the air breathable for Daniel. They would go and he’d have to stay back, sacrificing himself. She had enough of people falling on their swords for each other, and by the looks of it so had Jack. But he needed… a bigger cloth.

“Your shirt,” Lula told Jack. When he didn’t seem to understand, she explained, “Take off your shirt, it’s big enough.”

Jack nodded, handed her the water and started undressing.

Lula had noticed Merritt look their way, before he went back to… calm Daniel? Get him to relax? Did Merritt even know what was going on?

“Okay, here's what we're going to do,” Merritt started. “You will take Jack's shirt, it’s going to have water on it, and you put it over your mouth and nose. Now, nod if you understand me.”

“I can speak perfectly well, Merritt.” But then, Daniel nodded, and said, “I understand you. Thank you.”

“Yeah, well, we're due for a long talk when we're done here,” Merritt warned. “Now I know you like to hold the reins, so I'll let you know that we plan on using the service door behind you. When we're safely on the other side I'll shout so you can… do what you do with the fire-shielding-thing that shouldn’t be possible.” Merritt shook his head. “Got all that?”

“It’s called a shield, that’s  its actual name. And yes, I did,” Daniel replied.

“Okay, that’s good,” Merritt said, and nodded. He wasn’t touching Daniel, but he nonetheless oozed calm. “Just a bit longer.”

Daniel smiled, and if he said anything more, Lula was too far away to hear.

In the meantime, Jack had somehow reacquired the water bottle, and was ready with the shirt.

“Here,” Jack said to Merritt, suddenly next to him, handing Merritt the make-shift mask.

“This is it.” Merritt lifted Jack's shirt.

“Yes, thank you very much.” Daniel grabbed it with a slight sway. “Go. And let me know when you’re all safe.”

“I will,” Merritt said. “Put that over your nose.”

Lula saw Daniel nod, before Merritt reached them and they hurried outside. She had to stare at a grayish wall for a few moments, then Daniel was with them, finally and thankfully, and together they went outside. It was there that it truly hit her, amidst the chaos of the sirens, the yelling and screaming—she almost died. It was real.

*

“Can you tell me what happened ma'am?” the nice Policeman asked.

“I don’t know!” Lula said loudly. “We were done, already leaving, in the ante—in the room right before the service door. There was a ‘bang,’ a ‘clank,’ or a strong ‘tink,’ then a ‘boom.’” Her hand fluttered, and she and the Officer followed it for a couple of seconds. “Anyway, I mostly don’t remember what else happened. I was running, and I remember thinking that Jack was really slow, and then I noticed that the wall from the hall is an ugly gray. That’s it.”

Lula stopped paying attention halfway through the last part. She watched as Daniel swayed, coughed, and seemed want to fall asleep where he stood. She frowned.

“Are you okay?” Lula asked, slightly concerned.

Daniel started to fall, but Jack and the Police Officer caught him just in time.

“Has this man seen a doctor?” the officer asked, calmly but urgently, in the way that trained professionals have.

“No, we didn’t realize that he needed to,” Jack said.

“We’ll go now,” Merritt decided. “Help us?” he asked, but it sounded like an order.

*

It was three days after the explosion and Lula was at Horsemen HQ, a house in Windermere, Seattle. It had a nice view of Wolf Bay, that she was using as a perfect place to have a little discussion with Jack. They had the house to themselves, so it was the perfect time. Dylan was so busy with the Eye that they hadn’t seen him in months, Daniel was at his doctor’s for his final check up, and Merritt had gone to get them all of them food.

Jack entered, his eyes narrowed, and started to step slowly back. That right there were very good thief’s instincts. And this particular thief was feeling ambushed.

“Boys and everything in between,” Lula said.

“What?” Jack asked bewildered.

“I should've asked: girls, boys and everything in between.” Lula brushed a hand through her hair. “You are gorgeous, and I was easily distracted by it, but I should have paid more attention. That’s why you hesitated didn’t you?”

They only shared that one kiss months ago, but they had been busy and Lula got tired of pushing.

Jack made his way to the sofa. He slumped on it and made a frustrated noise. “I’m sorry?” he offered.

Lula waved her hand. “What can you do?” She put her feet in his lap. “So what’s  the story?”

Jack shrugged. “We had sex a few times.”

Lula waited. When nothing was forthcoming she asked, “That can’t be it.”

Jack didn’t say anything.

“I’m curious,” Lula defended, but it was a stupid reason for Jack to talk about something he didn’t want to. “You owe me?” she tried. Only Jack didn’t, not entirely. There wasn’t anything going on between him and Daniel, and Jack might have wanted to get over him. Plus, they shared a kiss a few months ago, and she made her interest clear, but nothing had happened since. It was now obvious he was holding back. “I'm not Merritt?” She scrunched up her face. “Scratch the last.” 

It wasn’t working.

“You don’t have to say anything!” Lula finally yelled. She pouted. “I'm curious,” she whined. “What happened? Why aren’t you together? Is this why Henley left?” Lula smiled. “I know you don’t have to say anything and I'm not forcing you. I can’t. I asked, and I'm curious.”

Jack smiled, finally satisfied with her reasoning. “Daniel uses sex to unwind. I made myself available, and fell for him in the process. He has this way about him.” He lifted a shoulder in a helpless gesture. “And yeah, that’s the reason Henley left. She had a different way of doing things.”

“She was upset that he was sleeping with you.”

Jack shook his head. “They weren’t in a relationship.”

“That’s not what I said, is it? So that’s the reason she left? You?” Lula gleefully asked.

“Him and others,” Merritt said, making her jump.

Jack nodded, apparently having seen Merritt. That was good news for Lula, since she didn’t have to feel guilty for spilling his secrets. Then again, Merritt read everybody, it was almost useless trying to keep something from him.

“Can you explain it to her?” Jack pleaded with Merritt. “Are we eating, or are we waiting for Danny?”

“He’s going to be here too. Twenty minutes. I say we wait,” Merritt said.

Jack shrugged.

“We wait,” Lula decided. “Anyway, how does the mentalist weigh in?”

“Daniel’s got issues. Like all people. Control issues, for example. That means he tests stuff. He goes over the plans for the show, he thinks of everything that might come up, and he does rehearsals,” Merritt explained.

“I suppose he does the same thing to relationships. Verifies if they’re compatible. You can’t expect him to be able to be with somebody without testing it out, he doesn’t work like that. Now, another person can choose—is it worth it or not?” Merritt hands made a weighing gesture, like balancing something. “Henley is not a person who likes tests of any kind. She wants to prove herself, take people by surprise with what she manages to do, but she doesn’t like for a challenge to be issued. She’ll complete it, sure, but she won’t like it. The whole ‘do the Eye's bidding' shtick never sit right with her. That’s part of the reason. Plus, she likes to be courted. Daniel would only court to show that he could.”

“Do _you_ think Daniel’s worth it?” Lula asked Jack, eyebrows raised.

Jack gave that beautiful smirk, the one that lit his eyes, “The closer you look…”

Merritt laughed, but Lula didn’t get it. He clarified for her, “Something that Daniel said: ‘look closer, get all over me, because the closer you look, the less you see.’”

Lula opened her mouth, grinning to widely to be able to speak. She closed it and tried again, “He said that?”

“To Dylan,” Jack laughed.

Merritt chuckled. “Let me tell you, Dylan was... perturbed.”

“Wow,” Lula said. “Was he all intense like he usually is in a show?” At Merritt's nod, she leered, “I don’t  think ‘perturbed’ is a word that would fit me.”

Jack laughed slyly.

“You really like him,” Lula mock-accused, smiling slightly.

“I really do,” Jack agreed.

“I have a question then. Because I _wondered_ ,” Merritt empathized the word in a way that made Lula sure he already knew the answer. “Why don’t you ask him? To be in a relationship.”

Jack frowned, confusion written all over his face.

“What?” Lula asked.

Merritt mock-sighed. “Daniel tends to control everything, so people he interacts with might pose a problem. He needs them to show him what they want, so he can be sure he's not making them do anything they don’t want to do. So he waits for them to come to him. They consent by volunteering for acts. They stop on the street. They come to a show. They ask him for sex. It's the same basic idea.”

Jack's eyes widened.

Lula smiled, entertained. “While Jack is stuck contemplating that, can _someone_ explain to me what happened three days ago? What did Daniel do?” Lula demanded from Merritt.

“That’s one thing I do not know.”

“Do I need to go back?” Daniel teased, as he too appeared without Lula noticing. “Am I not as alright as I thought I was? Did Merritt admit he didn’t know something?”

“I also don’t know where the ‘J’ comes from, but I can find out.” Merritt smirked. “Everything alright?” 

“Sure, and please don’t. It’s  going to be embrassing for both of us,” Daniel said easily. “Food?”

“Is that a deflection from a deflection?” Merritt asked.

“Yes,” Daniel retorted. “Or maybe it’s hunger.”

Daniel paused dramatically, as Merritt studied him.

“Chinese,” Merritt offered.

“Perfect.”

They split the food, and started eating, when Lula couldn’t take the silence anymore.

“So what happened?” Lula asked.

Daniel sighed. “I used my ability.”

“To defy the laws of physics?” Jack said, smiling widely.

_This_ was how Lula missed Jack pining for Daniel all this time. He was like an eager puppy with everybody, and had about nothing, or a little less than, invested in an answer. He put a nice front, but was like he couldn’t care less if it got him anything. Jack would do his thing, with or without an answer, a follow up, or even attention.

“No,” Daniel answered. “Well, maybe. Sometimes.”

Lula wanted to know one thing. “Are you a magician, a wizard, or both?” 

Daniel lowered his eyes, and played with his food. “A magician with an ability.” He took a bite of  chow mien. Chewed. Lifted his eyes. “There are no wizards. The name implies duels, spells that mean something, and a whole different world. There’s nobody to fight, nothing to gain. It’s just something they can do, like  Henley's double jointed arms. She has to keep practicing, but the ability is already there. Whereas Jack’s lock picking is an acquired skill. A magician has to be the smartest person in the room, has to think what the next big act should be, and has to figure out how to make it he happen. What would you want to be known as?”

“We the people without abilities?” Lula asked, amused.

“It’s not the first time I used it. How do you think I found Dylan in the water?”

“Not with magic,” Merritt quipped.

“How was I supposed to know where he was then?” Daniel asked.

“Fine.” Merritt gave up. “Tell us one thing about it. Just one.”

Daniel paused, thinking. “There’s no spell for tying shoelaces.” 

Jack choked on a piece of duck, Merritt made a face, and Lula laughed.

“No spell for… What do I do with _that_?” Lula asked.

Daniel shrugged, a superior smile in his face.

“Who did you inherit it from?” Merritt asked, teasing. His eyes narrowed dramatically. “Tell me…”

Daniel smirked. The next thing they knew, a huge black, slobbering dog, was growling at Merritt. He startled, putting his hands up, but he was studying the animal intently. Daniel waved his hand, he mouthed some words, and the dog disappeared.

“It’s an illusion.” Daniel smiled, hard edged, but it softened for a moment when he looked at Jack. Those two were definitely going to have a talk. “You can do the whole thing with a couple of well placed mirrors, and you get to feel like you've accomplished something. Magic is an ability worth having in unforeseen circumstances. You never know when you might have to shield against an explosion. There’s a price, but I think you can put up with feeling like roadkill for a day if you’re not burned to crisp. Magic, as a profession, is only worth it when you work for it.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you! If you want to comment (or just talk to me) you can do it here or on my [tumblr](http://e-alexandrescu.tumblr.com/).


End file.
